topic Re: Preferred name for TEACHERS in Community Forum

Preferred name for TEACHERS

qhill206 — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 21:08:50 GMT

Hi!

In Schoology we have this tab to add a preferred name for a teacher as a teacher. So instead of my legal first and last name showing for the students, it has my preferred name and last name displayed. Is this option also available in PowerSchool? Even if I cannot change it myself, can my district do so? If so, how?

We are new to PS, so I would like to make the process as easy as possible for them.

Re: Preferred name for TEACHERS

mchabot — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 13:22:32 GMT

I came here to ask that same exact question. Did you ever get any answers?

Re: Preferred name for TEACHERS

jasonbengs — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:18:03 GMT

With PowerSchool, there is the original name field and the legal name field (if enabled). The original field is the forward facing component and is often what is reported out. Some states have remapped theirs to collect the legal, but most still rely on the original name display. There is a preferred Name section, but it would require customization on your local instance to display that.

Re: Preferred name for TEACHERS

nicolebond — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 19:25:03 GMT

In my state, teachers have to use the name on their teacher license in PowerSchool.

Re: Preferred name for TEACHERS

jasonbengs — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 13:57:01 GMT

@nicolebond makes a great point. Make sure you are following the guidelines from your state for how to complete these fields. We also have to match PowerSchool to their teaching certificate, so we can't/won't make any changes in PowerSchool until they have updated it with the State Department of Ed. We also do not use the legal name fields, just the original fields.

Re: Preferred name for TEACHERS

mchabot — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 17:09:39 GMT

I understand using the legal name in regards to scheduling but I would think that there would be a way to have a preferred name printed on a student's schedule. Some teachers do not want students knowing their first name. For example, Susy Smith should be printed as Ms. Smith.

Re: Preferred name for TEACHERS

GeppyHPSK12 — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 22:55:48 GMT

For some reason none of the replies seem to be visible. Was there a way to achieve showing the preferred name instead of the legal first name?

Re: Preferred name for TEACHERS

mchabot — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 18:07:39 GMT

Unfortunately, I was told that there was no way to do it.